Wolfkin
Wolfkin The Wolfkin tribe is one of the most admired by humans, seen both as noble and terribly powerful. History It is impossible to remember a time when wolfkin did not roam the world. They have always been a part of the landscape, co-existing with the Daoine. Though relationships have not always been peaceful, wolfkin and the Daoine often share mutually beneficial relationships. As Daoine settlements expanded on Domhain Byd, wolfkin began to take advantage. Their scraps and fattened livestock made for easy meals, and their roads and bridges made for easy traveling. Daoine at first hated and feared the wolfkin, but soon saw benefits to their presence. Deals could be made, and in exchange for easy food a wolfkin may agree to be a guard or a hunter for a time. This relationship continues today, though it now takes more than a fresh goat carcass to earn the loyalty of a wolfkin. Wolfkin can be found in nearly every Daoine settlement on Domhain Byd. Many hold jobs, land, and titles just as any Daoine would, while others see those as the soft trappings of Daoine life and reject them. Appearance and Magic In their wolf form, a wolfkin can be difficult to distinguish from a typical wolf. They may be slightly larger, measuring 65-70 inches long and 36-40 inches tall at the shoulder. Coat color and density varies between packs, and often relates to the region in which they are found. Wolfkin from snowy climates tend to be white and heavily furred, those from the woods are tawny brown and red, those from the deserts are thinly furred, lanky, and typically sandy fawn. Wolfkin show less sexual dimorphism than wild wolves, meaning male and female wolfkin are very close in size and appearance in their wolf forms. In Daoine form wolfkin most closely resemble Qritani, due to the frequency of marriages between the two. They are typically tall with light skin, the notable exception being those wolfkin who have interbred with the Tmek. They are solidly built without bulkiness, and readily put on muscle. The color of their wolf fur and Daoine hair are often closely matched, and they are nearly always dark-eyed. The third form is a hybird of these two. In appearance it is far more similar to a wolf, but far more frightening. The entire form is enlarged. The mouth is gaping and the teeth razor sharp, easily capable of grabbing and crushing a man's head. The claws are also enlarged and sharpened, capable of stabbing, gripping, and tearing. In this form the wolfkin may walk on two or four legs. When standing on two, they frequently tower to over seven feet tall. This wolfkin form makes them impressive and horrifying on the battlefield, and also makes the Daoine wary of crossing them. Some practiced wolfkin are able to isolate their shifting abilities. They may use wolf eyes on a human form to see better in darkness or be more perceptive to movement, or they may generate large claws to gain the upper hand in a fight. These skills are rare and difficult to hone, and are therefore highly valued. Wolfkin who have mastered partial shifting are revered among their kind. Customs Even living among the Daoine, wolfkin tend to live in packs. They may share communal homes with as many as fifteen packmates, though seven is the average. A pack is led by a dominant male and female, who are equal to each other in status. The other pack members are commonly relatives of the dominant pair, typically their female siblings and immature children, and occasionally an elderly grandparent. Wolfkin are monogamous and fiercely loyal to their pack and their mate. Only the dominant pair in a pack breed. Lower ranking wolfkin do marry, however the presence of a higher-ranking female surpresses the cycle of the others, typically ensuring they do not bear pups, though this is not always the case. Multiple births are common among wolfkin, with twins being most common. Some very strong and fertile wolfkin mothers may produce several litters of quintuplets in their lifetimes. Some females and nearly all males are sent away from the pack as they reach sexual maturity. Some live as lone wolves, but eventually most find or form new packs. Wolfkin are often seen as aloof and humorless by the Daoine, though this is not to say they are joyless. Most wolfkin take great pleasure in sport, be it hunting, jousting, or racing. Males in particular may be competitive and love to prove their physical ability. These traits make them fine warriors, and many wolfkin have been made knights and generals. Seasonal Gathering Wolfkin packs converge in fall, typically after the dominant females have cycled. This helps to ensure peace and fidelity, and in its own way, genetic diversity. Pack gatherings are frequently small, as packs are so widely distributed. One kingdom may have four or five different gatherings happening at once. Three to five packs will meet in a neutral, unclaimed area. The dominant wolfkin sit and discuss pack boundaries and any other issues of importance regarding territories. Marriages are occasionally arranged during this time to help forge alliances between packs, and ensure that there is mixing between bloodlines. Arranged marriages are common for the first children of a given pack, however others are often left to their own devices. It is not uncommon for adolescent wolfkin to find their mates at these gatherings and depart together to forge new territory, or join up with an existing pack. Several weddings may be preformed during the weeklong gatherings, which are typically ended with a hunt and great feast to ready for the winter ahead. Allies Aside from the Daoine, wolfkin are allied with falconkin, who share a similar love of hunting but do not compete with the wolfkin for resources. Category:Strainseiri